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Five years ago, Russell Bellanca closed his midtown restaurant, moved to Florida, and vowed not to return until he was sure that the time and the place were absolutely right. For Mr. Bellanca and a surprising number of other restaurant owners, that time is now, and the place is Rockefeller Center.
In four months, the veteran restaurateur plans to open Alfredo's on East 49th Street just off Fifth Avenue, the latest incarnation of his old Citicorp Center eatery. He will be joined by no fewer than two dozen new restaurants in Rockefeller Center and its immediate environs from Fifth to Sixth avenues between 48th and 51st streets.
Multimillion-dollar bet
They range from Campari, the first restaurant designed by Philip Johnson since he wowed critics with his design for the Four Seasons 41 years ago, to Two Boots, a pizzeria in Rock Center's basement. Together, the new arrivals represent a multimillion-dollar, 2,400seat bet that Rockefeller Center can become something it has never been before-a dining magnet powerful enough to keep seats warm and cash registers humming not just at lunch, but well into the wee hours.
Ingredients harmonizing
"In Rockefeller Center today, there's a great crosssection of the clientele we cater tothe businessman, a lot of tourists and plain New Yorkers," says Mr. Bellanca.
In recent months, restaurateurs say, several ingredients have combined to create a perfect recipe for success. Those range from the major renovation at Rockefeller Center that is now nearing completion under its new owners, to broader factors such as the city's booming tourism industry.
In addition, the area has become a bigger retailing draw than ever, courtesy...